Letters of Tony Peterson

Y.M.C.A. MILITARY CAMP
Written at: Edmonton Battalion 49th
Date: May 12th, 1915

Mr. Frank Myers,

I promised to send you the Colonel’s photo. But when I got back they were gone—someone had taken them. Then I tried to get some of them uptown but they were all sold out. I am sorry.

Well I seen all kinds of excitement when I got back. First I seen a big mashup on the Race Track and in the evening went over to see the 51st boys off, and when I got there they had just pulled one of the soldiers out of the ranks. He is a spy. His fighting days are over.

We are ready to leave at any time now, are waiting for the transports.

Tomorrow I am Room Orderly, that’s the job I like so well—washing dishes.

I'll write as soon as I get across.

Respectfully,
Tony Peterson

June 15th, 15

(END OF LETTER)

Mr. Frank Myers,

Dear Sir,

We arrived yesterday morning at Plymouth and disembarked at once, and got on the train for Shorncliffe and to our camp at 9 P.M. Had a fine trip all the way. Were 1100 soldiers in boats, 500 wounded Canadian soldiers. England at first looking country, some very nice farms, but small.

But as fine as this is, Canada for me every time.

We left good old Canada May 29th and got here June 14th and I am sure I don’t know where we are coming back.

Will write more next time.

My regards to all at home,
Tony Peterson

(END OF LETTER)

Southampton, Eng.
8/10/15

Dear Sir,

Well Frank, the fun is now beginning. The last two nights I have not made any sleep at all. But to-night I expect to get some, for we will be crossing the channel.

Are going to France.

Respect—
T. Peterson

(END OF LETTER)

Belgium, 24–7–16

Dear Miss Myers,

I received your parcel last night and thanks very much. You are sure doing more for me than I will be able to pay back. But I shall do my best and, if I live long enough, might have a chance some day.

You are going to hear some timely news. I am sorry to inform you of our old friend "Bob" Haase. He was killed a few days ago in (No Man’s Land) — shot through the head. I saw his brother last night — he is feeling pretty bad over it, and so am I.

Of the bunch that enlisted at Waterman there is only three left: “Slim,” H. T. Rea, and myself.

I had a letter from Peter today. Am going to send him a card in return. We are pretty muddy, excuse my short letter. I got lots of news, but it is not very cheery so I'll wait and tell you all about it when I get back home.

I’m glad to hear that Alta Beach Picnic came off O.K.
Hope you had a good time and enjoyed yourself. Have to close.
Give my best regards to all around the Lake.

Yours Truly,
T. Pederson

(END OF LETTER)

Belgium, 13–8–16
49th Batt.

Dear Miss Myers,

I am taking the liberty of dropping you a few lines as I have not heard from you for some time. Have you been sick or have I offended you in anyway? For it is a rather long week since I got your last letter—it is over a month.

I had a letter from Peter about three weeks ago saying everything was O.K. at home.

We have had lots of sunshine here lately, it is really too hot and the roads are very dusty. I don’t know what would be the best, lots of rain or dust.

All the boys from the Lake are O.K. as near as I know. I wrote and told you about “Bob H.” in the last letter, poor Bob.

Give my best regards to J. and if you are sick make him write.

Yours Truly,
432742 T. Peterson

(END OF LETTER)

Pte. Tony Pederson
49th Canadians, Transport
C.E.F.
France

No. 12 Stationary Hospital, Rouen, France
October 1916

My dear Tony—

Just a line to tell you I am in hospital here. I have lost my right leg—worse luck! It was a shrapnel wound.

You must send me a line here if you have time. You will be glad to hear I am doing well and should like to hear how you are.

Your chum,
Thomas Rea 432939

(END OF LETTER)

France, Oct 29 – 16

Dear Minerva,

I received your letter from Sept. 30—you can bet on that. Peter did not write last week as you call it. But being he had such a big crop of potatoes to harvest I’ll excuse him for this time.

The weather is getting pretty much the same as it was last winter. You sure have had some times. I never thought a man could live through anything like it.

I am one of the lucky ones up till now. Hesse and I are the only two left from that bunch that enlisted at Warburg. But—God only knows how long—I was sorry to hear of McLean being killed. I knew him well.

Paper is getting very scarce out here so I’ll have to close and save some for next time.

With my best regards to all at home,
Yours Truly,
432942 T. Pederson

(END OF LETTER)

[YMCA Letterhead]
London 14–3–17
T. Peterson

Dear Minerva,

I am in the great city once more and this will be my last time I expect – at present I am in the Y waiting for 10:45 that’s when I will start for Ripon. I left Bramshott this morning at 9:00 and if all goes well I should be in R— at 6 P.M. Some life.

London is a wonderful old place, I wish you could see it. It would do you a world of good.

To-day is a fine clear day just like Spring one feels the change and I am feeling O.K.

Well, I got to look around and get dinner before I start. I wish you where here to have dinner with me. Some class to some cafes in this country.

Best regards to all at home.
Yours – Tony
(END OF LETTER)

France 22–10–17

Dear Minerva,

Well, here goes again, the last letter I wrote to Liverpool must have left the mark for today I received this wonderful Photo. But as you will notice I am not smiling. Why? I will tell you why. It was a great big fat lady that took my Photo and she was anything but pretty. President Taft would look like a boy alongside of her and of all the questions ever anybody asked, she was the limit. She wanted to know when the War was going to end & why we didn’t drop bombs on Berlin and why we didn’t capture the Kaiser while he was inspecting his troops in France—and also why I didn’t go to Canada for my leave and the first of all she supposed I was a married man, and said, “I never thought that, now.” I said, I was way out, but instead she got quite peeved and told me that I was cruel to my wife, from not going home to see her. And by this time everything was ready except to pull the string. She told me to look pleasant and she tried to smile, but it seemed to be a very painful thing for her to do. I hope you will understand why I didn’t smile myself.

I am well and I hope you are well same as myself.

Yours truly,
Tony Peterson

(END OF LETTER)

France, 14–3–1918
On Active Service

To Chrissie—

Received two of your letters today and it was high time I did hear from you. I got to think that something had happened again. Well Dear, at present I am feeling fine—in fact I feel like sweet 16 again only wish I was. Say you talk about being cranky—I’m afraid I would make a poor neighbour unless I change a lot. I have changed—but to the worst all the time, of course. It won’t do for me to tell you how bad I am—you will find it out if ever I get back and will be quite willing to take loving prove you said something [good]—but in the meantime if I can, I will be as good as I can.

Say Honey—I guess you are only fooling me about “Tom & Lina,” but I sincerely hope it’s in reality—don’t you? Everybody is doing it. It’s a funny old world to live in.

Dearie, there is no use of you worrying about anything. It’s up to you to make the best of life while you are young—you will soon be old and then it will be too late. In fact, sometimes I feel that I will be too late for everything. But I give up—Chrissie it may not all be true. I am very sorry that you didn’t receive the badge I sent and it seems funny to me you didn’t. It was three of us sent a badge at the same time and the other two got through O.K. I am going to try it again as soon as some of my chums goes on leave.

I got a lot to write but somehow I don’t feel guilty of writing. I wish we could meet for a few hours and have a quiet little talk, and I am sure we would understand each other far better.

Your parcels have not reached me yet but I’ll thank you in advance. Thank you Honey! And now I am going to ask you to do something to please me for a change—mind you, this is the first time. So don’t fail!

Now Dearie, please do not send anymore parcels until next X-mas—you see you have already spoilt me—I am expecting another for X-mas. It takes aside—rather you wouldn’t send anymore in the meantime. I know you are a good little kid and your heart is in the right place. That I know. I don’t mean that your heart is on the right side of your body—and again it might be for all I know. But mine is on the left.

I hope Mr. Myers is well again.
Well Dear this is all at present. Hoping to hear from you once more this year.

Best regards to all at home.
Yours,
T. Peterson

P.S. Harry N. is in trouble for overstaying his pass—so you know how things are. Poor kid.

(END OF LETTER)

France 21-3-18
T. Peterson
49th Batt. B Coy

My Dear Minerva –

To-day your parcels arrived and in A-1 condition too and you certainly are a dear little sister – we enjoyed your cake very much and at present I am smoking your health and I hope that you may live to be a “glad old Lady” – for you are too good and kind to die young – we simply can’t afford to lose a girl like you.

But dear, don’t forget what I asked you to do regarding sending of parcels. No doubt you will think me rude and unkind and perhaps I got you believing that I don’t appreciate your kindness, far from that. But I’d far rather you spend that on yourself and don’t go into so much trouble for me. You are a good little girl and I am afraid that I will never be able to be as good to you if this war lasts much longer. But say Dear – if ever I get back I will take lessons from you and I shall do my best to become as good as you are and if I succeed I am sure we will make good neighbours.

Now Dear I am going to give you some real good news. It sounds good to me but perhaps it won’t have any effect on you. We are told that after June 4th passes are starting for Canada for the fellows that left with the 49th Battin and I regret to say that the old timers are very few so it won't be long before my turn will come. Of course the married men first and then the rest of us will have to draw for our chance. I might be lucky to get a small number and again I might be one of the last like I was the first time we drew when we first came over. That time I got the second to the last—the lad that had the last number was killed, so I was the last of the old list. Don’t you think it’s a pity that I am not married?

But I am still living in hopes of seeing Canada once more and if I do—look out for trouble.

Say dear that part brought back memories indeed—and sad ones at that— Sunday is Canadian mail day again but I am not expecting any as I had one from you last week. We had a mail from Canada but a fellow never knows his luck.

Today is Wednesday as near as I know. I will drop you a few lines on Monday next—mail or no mail. A soldier always got plenty time for to write but it’s awful hard to find a suitable place for to write in this time of the year.

Well Sister Dear I must close. Hoping this will find you in the best of health as it leaves me and if you are feeling as good as I am—friend—I’m sure you are O.K.

It does a man good to be sick for a change—he enjoys life far better afterwards.

Best Regards to all at home
Yours,
T. Peterson

(END OF LETTER)

France 13-10-18
From: 432942 T. Peterson
49th Battn. Canadians

To: My Dear Girl,

I know that I should have answered your two letters of Sep 7 & 8 before now. I hope dearest you have been so busy of late and furthermore have never been able to get to a place where it was fit to sit down and write love letters.

But tonight I will try and do what’s half-right if I can. At present I am down in a hole where no lights can be seen so now I can write as long as the candles last. About two hours.

I received your three post-cards but the letter you mentioned didn’t turn up as yet — hope to get it with the next mail. The cards were lovely and I thank you Dear.

A few days ago I received Mr. Myers’ most welcome parcel and shall write to him as soon as possible. But in the meantime I’ll thank you.

Now a few lines regards T. Stephens and whoever started the rumour that he is insane and in the “asylum” in England. I think they are about fit for that place themselves. Tom was not that kind of a lad and you can take it from that he was just as cheerful a soldier as we had in our Battalion and he was well liked by his pals - always smiling and he had to be saying something all the time.

I will never forget Tom as long as I live — he was down talking to me when fall in wounded, I think I am at liberty to write about what took place two years ago. The 2nd June 1916, when Fritz tried to get through at “ypres”. We were called up to beat off the attack. Tom got wounded in the front line and got dressed by one of our own men and started out for a dressing station across country. He got 500 yards from where he started when he was hit ​​again and died. He was killed between the 2nd & 3rd of June 1916, and he was found on the 10th and buried with the same Military Honours as any soldier would get on the field of war. The main chap found Tom and took his identification disk — is still OK, same as myself.

I had a talk with him only a few days ago and I also told him about the survivors, being quite sure Tom was laid to rest only a short distance from where Bob Hasse is resting and last fall when we were up north I tried to get leave to go and locate his grave, but we were too busy at that time. Hasse managed to go and found his Brother’s place. If ever I get up in that country again I shall do my best in getting a photo taken at Tom’s grave. It is now a long way behind the lines and I can assure you that if I would have been spared he would not be insane.

I am enclosing a souvenir of Sep 27th.

Too much noise in here at present for to write so I have to close. Fall is setting in and winter is creeping fast – but we are still going strong and everybody is happy.

Au Revoir.

Cherie

Best Regards to all at Home

Your Loving

Tony

(END OF LETTER)

France 4–11–18
T. Peterson, 49th Batt. Canadians

Dear Sir (Frank Myers),

I am almost ashamed to write to you now, for it is such a long time since I received that most welcome parcel. The nurses even sent you a card to let you know that it reached me O.K. But if not too late now, allow me to thank you most sincerely. I can assure you it was highly appreciated amongst us all for at that particular time "smokes" were very scarce where we were.

There is really no reason why I shouldn’t write to you once in a while and let you know how I am, but I do write to Miss Myers occasionally and no doubt she kept you informed that I was still amongst the living.

It will soon be four years since I left my little Home in the West—and in that time have had lots of ups and downs during that time.

Well, it’s getting late.
Thanking you again and wishing you the best of success for the coming year.

With my best Regards to all at Home,

Respectfully,
T. Peterson

(END OF LETTER)

Ripon, 4–4–19
T. Peterson
21st Canadian Res. Battn.
Ripon, South

My Dear Minerva:

Well Kid – news is picking up a bit – my papers got here at last and now I know I am on draft for Canada and we are supposed to be out of here within 10 days – but we can’t bank on anything like that nowadays – but however I am booked for Home at last – and the sooner the better for me, for I don’t like to land in a strange country in the dead of winter. As near as I know at present I will get my discharge in W-peg and as soon as I find out for sure I will let you know and I wish you would drop me a line to W-peg P.O. & let me know what part of the world I can find you in and I shall do my best to get there – will send you a wire when I get to W-peg!

Yesterday afternoon I spent in sight-seeing again and I was wishing you could have been with me, we were amongst some very fine scenery – and it was a lovely day for to be out – to-day it is raining – has been since early morning and no signs of it quitting yet – and it is nearly supper time now and just had two boys knock on the door to bid me good bye – they are leaving for “Buckston” in the morning.

Both married, got married in this country and of course brought me a picture of his little wife & himself.
Please find enclosed two views of the place I was at yesterday.

Au revoir –
Best regards to all at home
Yours, Tony

(END OF LETTER)

Ripon 6-4-19
T. Peterson

My Dear Minerva—

Just a few lines to let you know that I am still amongst the living and pretty much alive at that. Yesterday I had a 3-mile run and came in quite fresh. I am not quite as oily as I was, but to-day I am a bit stiff, but otherwise none the worst off. To-day we only had a nice walk of about 4 miles and to-morrow we will run again—will keep it up until we get harden in and get ready for to work for a living! What a change it will be after soldiering for 4 years.

I wish that I could tell you exactly when I am coming home but that is east at my papers have not got here as yet unless they arrived to-day. During last week I went in to the Orderly Room every day asking for my papers and nearly got my foot in to it. I was told that if I come back again and I was near they are going to get me back as soon as possible and we all know that Transportation troubles no excuse.

Well I am feeling fine so can't complain. I hope you are all well and in good cheer same as myself. Au Revoir—

Best Regards to all at Home
Yours – Tony

(END OF LETTER)